SOMA EXPLAINED PART 5 25 9 24 CONTD KR IRS
Soma is also associated with Yama. Soma is pressed for Yama; ghee is
offered to him and he is besought to come to the ritual and place himself
on the seat. Yama is invoked to lead his worshippers to the Gods and to
prolong life.
Along with Varuna, the Ashvina, Yama and Pushan, king Soma is also
prayed to far deliverance from death and to save the worshipper from the
south—the quater of Yama. In the other world he who cooks the vistarin
brahmaudana (rice for the Brahmin priest at a ritual) lives with Yama
delighting himself in the company of the Apsaras (nymphs) who are connected
with Soma. The Mai.Sam calls Soma the God of the Fathers, thus indirectly
identifying him with Yama; Candramas (i.e. Soma, the Moon) is called the
eye of the Fathers. The Tai. Br. says very clearly that Yama resides in the
heart of the Moon, thus establishing his lunar bearings. The Shat.Br.
frequently calls the Fathers Soma vantah or states the reverse, i.e. calls
Soma Pitrimat. This confirms Yama’s relationship with Soma, for Yama is the
God of Fathers, par excellence. Soma is used as an image of the chain of
births and it seems possible that passages affirming faith in rebirth on
the analogy of the Moon, which waxes and wanes periodically, give the
underlying link through which the Moon became an image of transmigration of
the soul, a path of the Fathers (Ritriyana) and an associate of Yama who
supervises the soul’s course after death. The Tai.Br. equates the mythical
hero in the Moon with Yama. At the offering of Pindapitri yajna to the
Fathers Soma is invoked as Kavyavahana, bearer of the libation, usually an
epithet of Agni. Soma is always invoked in connection with the rituals for
the ancestors. When we called Yama a lunar God, his connection with Soma
becomes fundamental and where ever we have transmigration or metempsychosis
in any form the Moon is behind the concept and thus becomes inseparably
connected with the God of the next world and with the progress of the soul
after death. In a Sraddha ceremony one should say, ‘to Soma with the
fathers. {kr: soma pithruman} The leunar eclipse is supposed to produce
uncleanness and a person must cleanse himself properly; it is significant
that prayers are addressed to Yama for this purification.
Tvashtri is closely associated with Soma. Tvashtri is especially a
guardian of Soma, which is called ‘the mead of Tvashtri’ . It is in his
house that Indra drinks Soma and presumately steals it, even slaying his
father in order to obtain it. The omniform Tvashtri has a son named
Vishvarupa (the Omniform), who is a guardian of cows. The hostility of
Indra is directed against the son in order to win these cows, just as
against the father in order to gain possession of the Soma. Even Tvashtri
himself is said to tremble with fear at the wrath of Indra and is
represented as inferior to Indra, in as much as not even he was able to
perform a feat done by Indra. The Tai.Sam. tells a story of how Tvashtri,
whose son had been slain by Indra, refused to allow the latter to assist at
his Soma ritual, by Indra came and drank off the Soma by force.
Terrestrial Soma is compared to the milk of Aditi and milk only can be
meant by the daughter of Aditi who yields to Soma as he flows to the vat.
There may be a similar allusion when priests with their ten fingers are
said to purify Soma on the lap of Aditi. Tutelary Deities are once
indentified with Soma, being addressed as Indu. In anther verse[106] he is
called a firm pillar, a cuirass of Soma-pressers and seems to be identified
with Indra. The only Deities with whom Pushan is invoked conjointly in the
dual are Soma and Indra, whose brother he is once called.
Soma is in the Ninth Mandala of Rigveda brought into intimate relation to
Vivasvat. Soma dwells with Vivasvat and is cleansed by the daughters
(fingers) of Vivasvat. The prayers of Vivasvat urge the tawny to flow. The
seven sisters (waters) urge the wise Soma on the course of Vivasvat. The
streams of Soma flow through the sieve having obtained (the blessing) of
Vivasvat and producing the blessing (bhagan) of dawn.
Trita mentioned or associated ten times with Soma either as the beverage or
the Deity. Trita is mentioned alone as having rent Vritra by the power of
the Soma draught . In the Ninth Mandala of Rigveda, doubtless owing to its
peculiar character, Trita appears in the special capacity of a preparer of
Soma, features alluded to only once in the rest of the Rigveda Soma is
purified by Trita . Trita’s maidens (the fingers) urge the tawny drop with
stones for Indra to drink. Soma occupies the secret place near the two
pressing stones of Trita and is besought to bring wealth in a stream on the
ridges (prishtheshu) or Trita. Soma caused the Sun along with the sisters
to shine on the summit (sanu) of Trita . They press out the stalk, the bull
that dwells on the mountains, who, like a buffalo, is purified on the
summit; hymns accompany him as he roars; Trita cherishes (him who is like)
Varuna in the ocean. When Soma pours the mead, he calls up the name of
Trita.
When drunk by Indra, Soma caused the Sun to rise in heaven. So, this cosmic
action comes to be attributed to Soma independently. He caused o Sun to
shine , caused the light of the sky to shine and produced the Sun in the
waters .Soma is occasionally called a treasure or the wealth of the Gods .
Soma can also afford protection from foes. He drives away goblins and like
some other Deities but more frequently receive the epithet of globin-slayer
(rakshohan). Soma is the only God who is called a slayer of the wicked.
KR THESE REFERENCES BELOW ARE GIVEN TO SHOW IN HOW MANY PLACES IN r v
WORD SOMA OCCURRED AND HOW THE MEANINGS WERE RENDERED. APART FROM THESE
OTHER VEDAS AND UPANISHADS AND ARANYAKAS AND THE BRAHAMANAS INCLUDING THE
SATAPATA BRTAHAMANA THESE USAGES ARE SEEN. THOSE INTERESTED MAY REFER TO
THEIN DETAIL.(129 REFERENCES)
[1]:A.V. 2.5.19[2]:Rigveda 4.54.2[3]:Shatapatha Brahmana. 9.5.
18[4]:Rigveda 1.8.7[5]:Rigveda 6.47.2[6]:Rigveda 5. 29.8[7]:Rigveda 2.
19.2[8]:Rigveda 2.15.2[9]:Rigveda 3.32.9-10[10]:Rigveda 3.
48.2;[11]:Rigveda 1. 30.11[12]:Rigveda 6. 19.5[13]:Rigveda 8.
12.1[14]:Rigveda 1. 76. 3; Rigveda 8. 21.3[15]:Rigveda 3.32.1[16]:Rigveda
1. 26.4[17]:Rigveda 4. 41.3[18]:Rigveda 9. 3.7[19]:Rigveda 5.
85.2[20]:Atharva Veda 3. 3.3[21]:Atharva Veda 4, 15.1222]:Rigveda 9.
83.4[23]:Rigveda 9. 85.12[24]:Rigveda 9. 113.3[25]:Atharva Veda 7.
73.3[26]:Maitrayani Samhita. 3.8.10[27]:Atharva Veda 4. 4.1[28]:Rigveda 8.
66.5[29]:Taittiriya Samhita. 1, 2, 9.1[30]:Aitareya Brahmana. 1,
27;Taittiriya Samhita. 6, 1, 6.5;Maitrayani Samhita. 3, 7.3[31]:Rigveda 4.
27.3[32]:Taittiriya ranyaka. 1. 9.3[33]:Rigveda 9. 86.36[34]:Rigveda 10.
85.40[35]:Rigveda 2. 34.5[36]:Rigveda 1. 23.7; Rigveda 1. 88.3; Rigveda
7.59.6; Rigveda 8.94.3[37]:Rigveda 1.166.7[38]:Rigveda 1.85.2[39]:Apastamba
Shrauta Sutra. 10.30.1;Taittiriya Samhita. 1.2.10[40]:Apastamba Shrauta
Sutra. 11.3.12[41]:Taittiriya Samhita. 5.6.16[42]:Rigveda 9.33.2; Rigveda
9.34.2; Rigveda 9.63.3; Rigveda 9.65.20; Rigveda 9.90.5; Rigveda
9.100.6[43]:Shatapatha Brahmana. 4.3.5.8[44]:Rigveda 8.3.8; Rigveda
8.12.16[45]:Rigveda .113.2[46]:Rigveda 2.22.1; Rigveda 6.17
[.11?][47]:Taittiriya Samhita. 1.7.7[48]:Apastamba Shrauta Sutra.
11.7.3;Taittiriya Samhita. .1.6.1[49]:Apastamba Shrauta Sutra.
11.8.1[50]:Apastamba Shrauta Sutra. 11.6.13[51]:Atharva Veda
7.29.1[52]:Taittiriya Samhita. 2.2.9.1[53]:Rigveda 6.47.3[54]:Rigveda
9.95.2[55]:Rigveda 7.74.2 ; igveda 8.5.11; Rigveda 8.8.1; Rigveda 8.10.8;
Rigveda 8.35.22[56]:Rigveda 8.10.8[57]:Rigveda 8.10.8[58]:Rigveda
1.47.3[59]:Rigveda 8.87.4[60]:Rigveda 4.44.4[61]:Rigveda 8.26.6[62]:Rigveda
1.180.2[63]:Rigveda 7.67.4[64]:Taittiriya Samhita. 2.1.10.1[65]:Taittiriya
Samhita. 6.4.9.1[66]:Rigveda 9.72.3[67]:igveda 9.72.6[68]:Rigveda
6.72.2[69]:Rigveda 6.44.23; Rigveda 9.97.41[70]:Rigveda 9.96.5[71]:Rigveda
9.63.7[72]:Rigveda 9.107.7[73]:Taittiriya Samhita. 2.2.10.1;Maitrayani
Samhita 2.1.4[74]:Rigveda 10.9.6[75]:Rigveda 4.26.6[76]:Rigveda
6.74.[77]:Taittiriya Samhita. 2.2.10.3[78]:Rigveda 1.117.22[79]:Shatapatha
Brahmana. 2.4.4.15;Chandogya Upanishad. 5.104.[80]:Atharva Veda
7.42.1-2[81]:Atharva Veda 4.20.1-9[82]:Rigveda 10.115.3[83]:Rigveda
6.61.11-12[84]:Rigveda 5.43.11[85]:Rigveda 6.61.10[86]:Rigveda
10.75.187]:Rigveda 9.86.36[88]:Rigveda 1.38.9; Rigveda 5.63.3; Rigveda
9.2.9[89]:Rigveda 9.63.27[90]:Rigveda 9.96.3[91]:Rigveda
10.14.13-14[92]:Rigveda 10.14.4[93]:Rigveda 10.14.14[94]:Atharva Veda
14.20.1[95]:Atharva Veda 4.34.396]:Maitrayani Samhita. 1.10.17;
4.2.1[97]:Shatapatha Brahmana. 2.6.1.4[98]:Taittiriya Brahmana.
1.2.8[99]:Rigveda 1.117.22100]:Rigveda 1.80.14[101]:Taittiriya Samhita.
2.4.12.1[102]:Rigveda 9.96.15[103]:Rigveda 9.69.3[104]:Rigveda .26.1;
Rigveda 9.71.5[105]:Rigveda 8.17.14[106]:Rigveda .17.14[107]:Rigveda
2.40[108]:Rigveda 6.57[109]:Rigveda 6.55.5[110]:Rigveda 9.26.4[111]:Rigveda
9.14.5[112]:Rigveda 9.66.8[113]:Rigveda 9.10.5[114]:Rigveda
1.187.1[115]:Rigveda 2.11.20[116]:Rigveda 9.34.4[117]:Rigveda 9.32.2;
Rigveda 9.38.2[118]:Rigveda .102.2[119]:Rigveda 9.102.3[120]:Rigveda
9.37.4[121]:Rigveda 9.95.4[122]:Rigveda 9.86.20[123]:Rigveda
9.86.22[124]:Rigveda 9.28.5[125]:Rigveda 9.85.9[126]:Rigveda
9.42.1[127]:Rigveda 9.48.3[128]:Shatapatha Brahmana. 1.6.4.5[129]:Rigveda
9.28.6 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Chapter 1(d) - A Discussion on Vedic Rituals
Our knowledge of the Vedic ritual is derived from three sources: the
Samhitas, the Brahmanas and the Shrauta and Grihyasutras. The earliest
reference to the Vedic ritual is found in the Rigveda Samhita. The names of
sacrificial objects are mentioned: yupa, idhma, samidh, juhu, gravanah,
drone, camasa etc. The three savannas of the Somayaga have been mentioned.
The Rigveda also knew the existence of at least seven priests: Hotri,
Potri, Nestri, Agnidh, Prashasiri, Adhvaryu and Brahman. A Stage was
reached when the hymns, as a poet claims, could only be understood by means
of yaga. It is certain, therefore, that in the Rigveda period the ritual
was fairly extensive.
The sacrifices are the first origin and basic dharma according to Rigveda.
The sacrificial fire is central to all Vedic ritual. Sacrifice is called
‘Yajna’ in Sanskrit. The word yajna is derived from the root ‘√yaj’ with
the suffix ‘Nan’ (Devapujasangatikaranadanesu). The word yajna actually
means giving something in the fire to propitiate Gods for securing
prosperity, removing undesirable elements and for securing the heaven.
In the Nirukta, the word yajna is used in the sense of offering oblation in
the fire. The ritual is all important and it has been expressly stated to
be the best act ever performed. To speak metaphorically, it is like a ship
sailing heavenword. The Shat.Br. enjoins that ritual is a compulsory duty
for a man. Man is bound to perform rituals because he, from the very birth,
owes a debt to the Gods and he must satisfy them by offering sacrificial
oblation in the fire. In another place the Brahmana observes that man by
his own self is born as a debt to death and in that sacrifiers, thereby he
redeems himself from death. Not only the mortal beings but even the Gods
also attained their divine glory and heavenly status by means of ritual.
Besides these, Gods also attained immortality by performing ritua.
Regarding the origin of the ritual Shat.Br. says, the Prajapati remains to
be the main source of ritual and he again himself has been identified with
ritual. It is found that after giving himself to the Gods Prajapati created
his counterpart (pratima) viz. the ritual. Prajapati is said to have
discovered the ritual. Prajapati is also said to have created subjects
(praja) along with the ritual.
The yajna is a very important performance as said in the
Srimadbhagavatgita—“All the living beings grow from crops, the crops grow
from the cloud, the cloud grows from the ritual, the ritual comes into
existence from work, work from the Veda and the Veda from the Supreme Being
(Parabrahma).
There are various types of rituals serving different ends. Some are
obligatory (Nitya), where as others are occasional (Naimittika) rituals.
The rituals which are performed daily as a compulsory life long ritual
session are termed obligatory but the kamya or wish-yielding rituals come
under the occasional type. Agnihotra is the example of obligatory ritual
while occasional rituals are wish-yielding and their results range from the
birth of a son, bringing down rain etc to the attainment of union with the
Deities.
The ritual or sacrifice may be divided into five classes viz. Homa, Ishti,
Pashu, Soma and Satra. Every type of ritual has its Prakriti or model and
Vikriti or modifications which follow the pattern of the model. The
Prakriti is also called Pradhana—the main ritual and Vikriti, the Anga or
accessories. Thus the Prakritis or models of the five types of Vedic
rituals Homa, Ishti, Pashu, Soma and Satra are Agnihotria,
Darshapaurņamasa, Daiksha or Prajapatya Pashu, Agnishtoma and Gavamayanam
respectively.
Homa ritual consists in offering oblations of milk, curd, rice, cake etc to
the Sun-God and Agni in the sacrificial firepit everyday both in the
morning and in the evening. It is also called Darvi-homa as the offerings
are poured into the fire by means of a ladle called Darvi. Agnihotra is the
model for the Homa type of rituals. The higher three casts had to perform
the Agnihotria daily in the early Vedic age. Later on the Kshtriyas and
Vaishyas appointed their Brahmin priests to perform it on their behalf. It
was obligatory for a Brahmin to perform the Agnihotra every day along with
his wife throughout his lifetime. In this ritual oblation are offered to
the Sungod in the morning before sunrise and in the evening after the Sun
had set. The same hymn is uttered both the time with slight variation. In
the morning the verse accompanying the oblation reads as–‘Suryah jyotir
jyotih Suryah’ (the Sun is the light and the light is the Sun) but in the
evening the term Agni i.e. fire is substituted in place of Surya;because
the sun relegates its light to the fire when it sets.
In the Agnihotra the oblation consists of milk and a separate milk cow is
reared for that purpose called Agnihotri gabhi. Milk is boiled in an
earthen pot within the sacrificial campus and is offered as oblation in the
Ahavaniya fire with a ladle called Agnihotra-havani. Two principal
oblations are offered in the evening rite the first being offered to Agni
and the second to Prajapati. Similarly, two main offerings are made in the
morning of which the first belongs to Surya and the second to Prajapati.
These four oblations are the important ones in the Agnihotra. As the first
oblation in the evening is offered to Agni the whole ritual goes by the
name of Agnitra. This view is advocated by Apastamba in his Shrauta Sutra.
The yajamana himself should offer these oblations in the morning and
evening. If he be physically incapacitated, he should get it done by his
son or priest. Full moon and new moon days he will have to do it himself
under all circumstances; proxy is not allowed. Milk, curd and gruel
(yavagu) are used as offerings. Each of this offering (havis) is conducive
to particular result. Those who desire cattle or heaven should offer milk,
those desiring objects of senses should offer curd and gruel—offering is
meant for them who desire possession of village. Besides these main objects
of oblation, rice, paddy and butter are offered serving different ends. One
desiring food should offer rice; one longing for attainment of strength
should offer paddy and butter is the oblation for him who desires mental
vigour.
A Brahmana does not get rid of performing Agnihotra except his death. A
bachelor or a widower has no right to perform this ritual. It is mentioned
in the Atharvaveda and described in details in the Yajurveda and Shatapatha
Brahmana.
The model for Ishti type of ritual is called Darshapaurņamasa. Darsha means
the confluence of the Sun and the Moon (suryendu-sangamah) i.e., the dark
called Amavasya. Paurnamasi means the full moon. This ritual is to be
performed on the new moon and full moon days. A person belonging to one of
the three higher castes who is neither a bachelor nor a widower and who has
already established his Garhapatya fire is entitled to the performance of
his ritual. The ceremony consists of two days in the full moon and two days
in the dark moon. During the full moon the rite commences from the morning
of the full moon day and terminates in the forenoon of the following day
i.e. pratipada. Likewise in the newmoon the ceremony covers the period from
the morning of that day to the forenoon of the day following. While
performing this ritual for the first time the sacrifice should commence
with the full moon rite and follow it up with the new moon rite; he should
not commence in the new moon. Four priests are required for this
performance, viz. Hotri, Adhvaryu, Agnidhra and Brahman.
This ritual may be either obligatory (Nitya) or wish-yielding (Kamya). It
is Nitya for those who perform it in every full moon and new moon
throughout their lifetime without any break. In their case non-performance
or break of performance will lead to some disaster called Pratyavaya. It is
kamya or wish-yielding for them who donot perform it regularly but only
once or twice for the fulfilment of some desire.
Daiksha or Prajapatya Pashu is the model for all Pashuyagas. It is also
termed Nirudha-Pashu-bandha. One who has established his household fire
(Garhapatyagni) is called Ahitagni. Such a person should perform the
Pashuyaga every year. It may be performed once or twice or six times in a
year. If it is performed once only it should be done in the rainy season,
if twice, one sacrifice should take place in the Uttarayana of the Sun and
another in the Dakshinayana. If one desires to perform six times one
performance should take place in each of the six seasons. At least once it
should be performed every year by an Ahitagni otherwise he will be held
guilty.
An animal is the offering in this ritual; hence it is called Pashuyaga. A
goat is the offering; all the limbs of the goat are not offered. Only such
special organs such as its heart, fat etc. are offered as oblation. The
Deities are Prajapati, Surya or Indra and Agni jointly. Six priests are
necessary for the performance- Adharyu, Pratiprasthatri, Hotri,
Maitravaruna, Agnit and Brahman.
In this ritual stake called Yupas are necessary for tying the sacrificial
animal thereto. These stakes are made of one of the four kinds of
trees—Palasha (Butea Frondosa), Khadira (Acacia Catechu), Vilva (Aegle
Marmelos) or Rohitaka. The different varities of stake subserve different
purposes. One desirous of attaining heaven should fashion the stake out of
Khadira wood; he who longs for food (anna) and nourishment (pushti) should
make the stake out of Vilva tree and he who desires mental strength and
spiritual excellence should take the Palasha wood for fashioning the stake.
Towards the easternmost part of the sacrificial alter the stake is posted.
The animal is generally a he-goat without any blemish like blindness,
lameness, etc. and whose teeth have grown.
In the animal ritual the strangling or killing of the animal is not
regarded as slaughter. It is not a crime. When an animal is offered as a
viction in the ritual it leaves behind its mortal frame and its spirit
achieves union with the Gods invoked in the ritual. The ritual helps the
animal to attain to this divine status, union with the Gods in an easy way.
It is said that through the ritual the soul of an animal gets union with
that very God for whom it is sacrificed.
Agnishtoma ritual is the model for all Soma rituals. It is also called
Jyotishtoma. The juice of the creeper Soma is the main oblation in this
ritual. In the twelve stotras sung in this type of ritual the last stotra
goes by the name of Agnishtoma. Because the ritual terminates with the
Samavedic chant (stotra) called Agnishtoma, the ritual also termed
Agnishtoma.
Every year in the spring this ritual is to be performed by twice born caste
with his wife. Soma creeper is procured from distant places and preserved
with care. As Soma is not available Putika is used as its substitute. All
the sixteen priests are required for the performance of Agnishtoma. Some
authors of Shrauta sutras count another priest called ‘Sadasya’ as the
seventeenth one. Some again consider yajamana or sacrifice to be the
seventeenth. On the first day the yajamana welcomes these priests and
appoints them for the performance promising sacrificial fees (Dakshina).
This is known as Ritivika-varaņam. This is followed by the Initiation
ceremony called Dikshaniyesti. The yajamana and his wife are initiated. On
the second day the Initiation ritual (Prayaniyeshti) is performed in the
morning. Five deities are invoked Pathya Svasti, Agni, Soma, Savita and
Aditi. Rice is the oblation for Aditi and for the remaining four Gods
melted butter is the oblation prescribed. The Prayaniya rite is followed by
the ceremony of purchasing Soma creeper (Somakraya). Soma is purchased from
a Sudra in exchange of ten mediums of barter viz., one year old cow, gold,
she-goat, milch cow and her calf, an ox, a bullock fit to draw cart, a
bull-calf and cloths. Soma is the king of Gods and Brahmanas. Hence Soma is
placed on a cart drawn by two bullocks and driven by the priests towards
the sacrificial alter. King Soma becomes an honoured guest and hence a rite
is performed known as Atithyeshti or the rite of hospitality. Rice-paps
placed on nine potsherds are offered to Vishnu in this rite. This is
followed by Pravargya ceremony which again is followed by the ritual termed
Upasad ishti. On the third day a great altar (Mahavedi) is erected
confronting the eastern part of the sacrificial campus technically known as
Pragvamsha or Pracinavamsha. On the fourth day an animal ritual, Pashu-yaga
is performed in honour of the deities Agni and Soma jointly after the
manner of Nirudha-Pashu-bandha. On this day Soma is carried to the right
Havirdhana altar; this function is termed Havirdhana-pranayanam. At midday
libation animal flesh and ricepap are offered as oblation and at dusk the
different organs of the animal are offered as oblation. This is followed by
the ceremony relating to the sacrificer’s wife called Patni-samyaja. These
ceremonies covering the first four days serve as a prelude to the actual
Agnishtoma ritual which takes place on the fifth i.e. the last day. On the
fifth day the ceremony of the extraction of Soma juice (Somabhishava) takes
place. All the priests get up before dawn, bath in holy water and make
arrangements for the extraction of the Soma juice. After all these
preliminary rites being performed, at the end the concluding rite called
the Udayanyeshti is performed at the Salamukhiya Agni. This is performed in
the same manner as the Prayaniyeshti ritual. In the previously established
carupatra, caru (milk rice porridge) is cooked. The principal Gods are
Agni, Soma, Savita and Pathyasvasti in that order. After the Udayaniya is
over, the Anubandhya yaga is performed. The main Deity of this ritual is
Mitravaruna and havis is amiksha. This is followed by five devika ahutis
and one ahuti of dvadasha purodasha, to the family deity. Thereafter, the
caru cooked earlier and kept in the four Patras are offered as four
different ahutis to Anumoti, Raka, sinivati and kruha respectively. After
the hair cut of the yajamana, the agnis are merged with the aranis.
Returning home, the domestic fires are again lit by rubbing the aranis
together and the ritual of Udvasaniya Ishti (Devajana Tyaga) is performed.
The main Deity of this ritual is Agni Deva and the havis is Kapal
Purodasha. Alternatively, instead of this Ishti, the Havi Vishnu mantra can
be recited while offering one ahuti of the ajya in the avahaniya fire. This
concludes the Agnishtoma Yaga.
The Gavamayana rite is the model of all Satra type of rituals. Gavamayana
is included into Somayaga and hence Agnishtoma is its Prakriti. Though
Gavamayana is included into Somayaga, yet it has separate classification
regarding its time factor. The ritual which is completed in a day is called
Ehaha-yaga, which requires time more than one day and less than twelve day
are called Ahina-yaga, which takes time more than twelve days are termed as
Satra. Some Satra ritual send upto one year, some extend upto ten years and
others extened upto one hundred or one thousand years.
The Gavamayana is the great sacrificial sesson usually extending over three
hundred sixty-one days nearly a whole year round. It may be arranged in
three parts -first part consisting of one hundred eighty days and having
different forms of Soma ritual, the last part also consists of one hundred
eighty days during which period the rites of the one hundred eighty days
are performed in the reverse order. The middle part consists of one day
performance called vishuva.
A critical study of the Gavamayana ritual it is found that it has a
similarity with the annual motion of the Sun. The whole rituals are divided
into two parts and the performance of each part takes six months.
The five great rituals known as Panca-mahayajnas are enjoined to be
performed daily by the house holders. They consists of the ritual to beings
(Bhutayajna), the ritual to the men (Nriyajna), the ritual to the fathers
(Pitriyajna), the ritual to the Gods (Devayajna) and the ritual to the Veda
(Brahmayajna). Bhutayajna consists of the various offerings placed on the
ground for all sorts of beings; Nriyajna means the rite of hospitality to
the guests, Brahmins and beggars; Pitriyajna consists in offering the
oblations sprinkled with water to the fathers; Devayajna means worship of
Gods and Brahmayajna means the recitation of the Veda. These Pancayajna are
obligatory.
All these rituals have much important in our life. Ritual is the medium for
attaining both material prosperity and heavenly rewards. Heavenly bliss is
the real and final goal of a ritual, the worldly gains being auxiliary to
it. Thus ritual is regarded as the greatest of all actions. Again, the
ritual is described as safest boat which takes the sacrifice across the
troubled waters to the peaceful shore.
Rituals promised not only rewards in the other world and heavenly bliss but
also worldly gains in the forms of wealth, food, cattle, son, long life
etc. Monarchs could attain sovereignty through rituals alone such as
Rajasuya, Vajapeya, and Ashvamedha etc. Hence the priests were held in owe
and veneration. Due to the supreme importance of the ritual in the Vedic
age the priests enjoyed a unique position.
The ritual is the source of creation. The Primal Being called Purusha
offers himself as the victim in the first sacrifice performed by him. Out
of his self-sacrifice springs up the whole universe with the four Vedas,
four casts, animals, the Sun, the Moon, the firmament, fire, air etc.
Moreover, some rituals are performed with the exclusive object of
fulfilling certain worldly desires. For example, the ritual called
‘Karirishti’ is performed to bring down rain in times of drought; the
‘Putreshti’ is performed for the birth of a son etc. Sound health and long
life are desired by all mortals. For these worldly gains man propitiates
the Gods and the Goddesses by performing rituals. Thus ritual is regarded
as the sure means to attain both wordly and other worldly possession.
END 25 9 24
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